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An Interactive, Virtual Environment for Cell Biology

Engage in Learning-by-Doing experiences through an interactive virtual cell biology game. Explore spatially-oriented virtual environments, problem-solving, and mature thinking while learning scientific methods. Benefit from collapse of virtual time and distance, practical planning, and decision-making. Accessible from anywhere, the game supports multi-user collaborations and competitive play. Track your progress through the virtual cell using VRML technology in this innovative learning tool.

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An Interactive, Virtual Environment for Cell Biology

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  1. Alan R. White Phillip E. McClean Brian M. Slator North Dakota State University An Interactive, Virtual Environment for Cell Biology

  2. NDSU WWWIC World Wide Web Instructional Committee Paul Juell Donald Schwert Phillip McClean Brian Slator Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat Alan White WWWIC faculty supported by large teams of undergraduate and graduate students. WWWIC’s Virtual Worlds research supported by NSF grants DUE 97-52548, EAR-9809761, and EPSCoR 99-77788

  3. Educational Role-playing Games“Learning-by-doing” Experiences • MultiUser • Exploration • Spatially-oriented virtual worlds • Practical planning and decision making

  4. Educational Role-playing Games“Learning-by-doing” Experiences • Problem solving • Scientific method • Real-world content • Mature thinking

  5. Advantages of Virtual Worlds • Collapse virtual time and distance • Allow physical or practical impossibilities • Participate from anywhere • Interact with other users, virtual artifacts, and software agents • Multi-user collaborations and competitive play

  6. Technical Approaches • Networked, internet-based, client-server • MultiPlayer • Simulation-based • Implemented in Java applets

  7. Technical Approaches • MUD = Multi User Domain • MOO = Object Oriented MUD Multi-user database for implementing objects and methods to represent rooms, containers and agents

  8. Technical Approaches • MUDs and MOOs are typically task-oriented with keyboard interactions • Ours are also graphically-oriented, point & click interfaces

  9. The Virtual Cell Rendered in VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)

  10. Users can “fly around” inside the cell.

  11. Users are assigned specific goalsFor example: Identify 5 different organelles

  12. A Virtual Laboratory is attached

  13. The Laboratory is populated with instruments, tools and chemicals needed to perform experiments.

  14. Centrifuges, PCR machines, DNA Sequencers, pH meters, etc.

  15. The Cell User movements are tracked by MOO software.

  16. The Virtual Cell User Interface

  17. Users set up experiments in the Cell to accomplish their assigned goals.

  18. Or ... take samples from the Cell back to the Laboratory to use instruments, inhibitors, and mutations.

  19. Outcomes: Cell Biology Content Learning-by-Doing Problem Solving Hypothesis Formation Deductive Reasoning Mature Thinking

  20. Tutors are NeededIn Virtual Environments: • Students can join from any remote location • They can log in at any time of day or night • Human tutors cannot be available at all times to help • Students can foul things up and not know why

  21. Tutors are NeededIn Virtual Environments: • Information is readily available • The simulation can track actions • The simulation can generate warnings and explanations • Tutor “visits” are triggered by user action

  22. Tutors are NeededIn Virtual Environments: • Student interact with the intelligent tutoring agent • Students can ignore advise and carry on at their own risk

  23. Assessment • Not “multiple choice” recall • Content specific: Cell Biology • Problem solving, Hypothesis formation, Deductive reasoning

  24. Assessment by Scenarios • Assess computer literacy • PreTest: Present scenario, students propose course of action or solution • Engage in learning experience Control vs Virtual • PostTest: Present similar scenario, student response • Analysis of assessment data

  25. The Geology Explorer: Assessment Protocol, Fall, 1998 Pre-course Assessment: 400+ students Computer Literacy Assessment: (244 volunteers) Divide by Computer Literacy and Geology Lab Experience Non-Participant Control Group: (150 students, approx.) Geology Explorer Treatment Group: (122 students) Geomagnetic (Alternative) Group: (122 students) Completed (78 students) Non-completed (44 students) Completed (95 students) Non-completed (27 students) Post-course Assessment: 368 students

  26. The Virtual Cell: Assessment

  27. To visit the Virtual Cell: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/wwwic Select: > Projects > Virtual Cell > Play the Game To view VRML files, you will need a Web Browser Plug-in: CosmoPlayer

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